Independent Venue Week will return for its fifth year July 11 – 17, 2022. Today, the event announces Big Freedia as 2022 Artist Ambassador and shares the first round of venues set to participate in the week-long series of programming celebrating the spirit of independence, powered by a partnership with See Tickets.
2022 follows four years of growth for Independent Venue Week which for its 2021 edition featured 450 shows in 350 venues throughout all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. More than 270 venues across 167 cities are already signed up to participate in this year’s event. From small rooms to large capacity spaces, in major cities and small towns, this year’s participants represent the wide variety and personality of independently owned and operated performance spaces. Returning venues include Minneapolis’ First Avenue, Cleveland’s Beachland Ballroom, and Seattle’s The Crocodile as well as first-time participants including NYC’s Brooklyn Made and Philadelphia’s Underground Arts. More venues are to be announced in the coming months.
Big Freedia joins past Independent Venue Week Artist Ambassadors Bartees Strange (2021), The Kills’ Alison Mosshart (2020), Fantastic Negrito (2019), and Prophets of Rage/Public Enemy’s Chuck D (2018), as well as artist ambassadors for the UK initiative including Wet Leg (2022), Nadine Shah and Portishead’s Adrian Utley (2018), Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood (2014) and more in drawing attention to the importance of this critical music industry sector.
Independent venues and promoters can still sign up to participate HERE
